Bethlehem Main Street star relaid over city concerns

Workers from East Allen Township-based Grace Industries pull up bricks today around the Moravian Star inlaid this year into Main Street in Bethlehem at West Market Street.Express-Times Photo | LISA MASSEY

Workers today relaid a Bethlehem Star that is the centerpiece of a larger $3.2 million streetscape project at the Main and west Market streets in Bethlehem.

The star is being commissioned by Liberty Property Trust, which donated $300,000 to the project.

Bethlehem officials recently ordered Liberty to redo the star's bedding because they didn't feel it would be strong enough to handle the street's vehicular traffic, according to Michael Alkhal, city public works director.

The East Allen Township-based contractor Grace Industries Inc. is doing the star work. A call after hours for comment to the contractor was not immediately returned.

The project, which was originally supposed to be done by Oct. 31, is now expected to be done Nov. 21. In addition to relaying the star, the project was delayed because of greater-than-expected underground utility work, Alkhal said.